The Caverns of the Howling Winter
Deep within the recesses of the Paraelemental Plane of Ice there exists the realm of a minor power of elemental cold named Thilgrim. If legends are true he was one of the first white dragons and worshiped by early mortals as the incarnation of winter itself. When he was stricken dead for his abuse of position he had been placed into, the worship which the mortals revered him with led to him, or a reflection of him, rising as a deity; as a being of icy cold, and animalistic hunger, he finally laired not in the Outer Planes but in the depths of Ice. Thilgrim’s realm is takes the form of an immense air-filled cavern deep within the Plane of Ice. A single portal is known to exist within his realm, although others occasionally form in the winding tunnels that form its outskirts. None of these tunnels lead anywhere, and their arrangement shifts, their only purpose is to catch “prey” for the god’s minions. These portals open almost exclusively onto Prime Material worlds where the god is worshipped, opening during the winter to allow his servants to go forth and hunt the humanoids that live on the Prime. Occasionally these portals open instead to allow a group of mortals into the Cavern of the Howling Winter, so that they can struggle to make their way to the portal that makes its heart as they are hunted by the beasts of Thilgrim’s realm. None of his servants are allowed to actually enter the main hall when this happens, but an avatar of Thilgrim (normally this is considered a normal white dragon) guards the portal. As long as the avatar lives teleportation, and planar travel, magic and effects do not work within Thilgrim’s realm or any cavern connected to it, but it is possible for a creature to burrow through the ice to an edge of Ice and thus escape his sphere of influence. To do so they must burrow through miles of snow and ice. The Caverns of Howling Winter pose another danger, beyond the sheer cold of the plane which is intensified within this realm (creatures take 2d6 cold damage and 2d4 subdual damage per minute without a save unless they are immune to cold; mundane protection against cold halves this damage). The entire Caverns are connected to Pandemonium and the great howling of the plane sweep through into Ice and take on new horrors. Each minute a creature not in the service of Thilgrim spends in the Caverns of Howling Winter they must make a DC 20 Will save or be consumed by a great hunger. They will immediately attempt to kill, and eat, the closest creature made out of meat (for this purpose familiar and a paladin’s special mount count as part of yourself); this hunger lasts for 2d4 rounds before subsiding and is a mind-affecting effect. Even creatures that do not need sustenance, or cannot normally eat, are affected by this Howling Hunger. A creature that fails 4 such saving throws finds itself permanently in the grasp of the Howling Hunger and mortal magic can only temporarily negate its effects (Remove Curse, Heal and Restoration negates its effects for 8 hours, Greater Restoration negates its effects for 3 days, Wish or Miracle negate it for 1 week) and even they do not prevent the creature from being affected by it again while in the Caverns. The only certain cure for this effect is the water of the River Styx, but that wipes a creature’s memories clean, though vague rumors suggest other ways to cure this malady; one basher claims to have had it and been cured by the song of a wondrous virtuoso at the Shining Music Hall. These winds also make it impossible to talk, effectively deafening all creatures within the tunnels, Thilgrim’s avatar is immune to this deafness and any creatures he desires to can hear it when he speaks as long as they are within the Caverns. The Caverns of Howling Winter is home to winter wolves, ice paraelementals, white dragons, ghouls, and even some wights as well as other, more obscure, ice creatures and undead. The ghouls here are particularly ferocious, gaining a +4 bonus to Strength but have their actions limited as if they were continuously under the effects of a barbarian rage. These creatures serve as the hunters in Thilgrim’s vile games, driving his prey deeper into his cavern till they confront his avatar and the portal to Pandemonium it guards. Should a blood defeat the avatar they’ve earned their freedom, but they’ve also earned the god’s unending enmity. Not only will he and his followers hound them till the end of their days, they will persecute their descendants and familiar line for generations. Such is the cost of escape. The inhabitants of the Caverns of the Howling Winter show little concern, and take little role, in the growing conflict between Cyronax and Albrathanilar. Whether this is because of impotence or actual disinterest is unknown. Category:Locations on the paraElemental plane of Ice